Manifolding device



1931- c. H. JAMES I ,4

MANIFOLDING DEVICE Criginal Filed Nov. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l uIIIIIIII"-uvnulnm....

INVENTOR. (Q/:mfed/H TTORNEYS.

NOV. 10, 1931. c H JAMES MANIFOLDING DEVICE Criginal Filed Nov. 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

BY I M3 MAM!- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTQGRAPHIC REGISTER (20., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MAN IFOLDING DEVICE Application filed November 4, 1929, Serial No. 404,671. Renewed May 7, 1931.

My present invention relates to a manifold ing device and more particularly to a device for handling and dispensing duplicate printed forms and the like, such as are printed on elongated sheets and rolled or folded into compact form.

The object of my invention is to provide a new, novel, effective and inexpensive manifolding device, which is particularly well suited for store purposes.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a device of the above character, a new and novel mechanism whereby manifolded forms may be positioned within and removed from a manifolding device in a simple and convenient manner.

Other objects and advantages ofmy invention will be in part pointed out and in part evident from a reading of the specification,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment thereof.

- In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my device with the paper in position for use,

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken along line IIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 showing the manifolded forms moved to their advanced or released position,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the cover plate and paper removed,

Fig. 5 isa perspective view of certain details of my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken along line VV of Fig. 4.

In the art to which my invention appertains, there are a: great many devices of the character here contemplated. In these devices, however, the means for advancing the manifolded forms is in all cases of a very complicated nature: for instance, there are racks, gears, and various complicated levers which operate to advance the paper.

In order to overcome the above complicated features, I propose to provide a novel paper advancing mechanism which embodies the employment of a relatively flexible or leaf spring member supported upon a rotatable drum and which carries members adapted to engage the paper and advance the same as the drum is rotated, the leaf spring members during this operation being wrapped about the drum and the paper engaging members at the ends thereof being restricted to a linear movement by reason of engagement with the paper through horizontally disposed slots.

In the drawings, 10 designates a housing member in which a suitable supply of manifolded forms may be conveniently disposed. The forms, it will be understood, may either be provided upon a roll, or in folded condition. Extending over the top of the housing 10, there is shown a cover plate .11 pro vided with an opening 12, through which the forms 13 are exposed and accessible for the application of any entries thereupon. The upper edge of the cover plate 11 is provided with a knife edge 14, against which the forms may be readily torn ofi' when they have been advanced sufiiciently far to expose the next subsequent form. The cover plate 11 is also shown as having its sides turned down to form portions 15. These turned down side portions 15 are adapted to engage the sides .of the housing 10 and clamp the ends of transversely arranged sheets of carbon paper 16 which, it will be understood, are disposed between the manifolded sheets 13 so as to provide carbon copies, as will be readily understood.

By referring to-Fig. 2, it will be seen that the top of the housing 10 is provided with an opening at one end wherein there is arranged a plurality of rollers 17 over which the manifolded forms pass when being with drawn from the housing. At the opposite end of the top of the housing 10, there is also shown a pairof longitudinally extending slots 18, over which the forms are adapted to slide. Projecting through the slots 18, there is provided a pair of upwardly projecting pins 19. These pins 19 are adapted to enter into perforations provided upon the forms and when thus in engagement with the forms, will operate to advance the forms when the pins 19 are moved, as will hereinafter appear. The pins 19 in this embodiment of my invention are mounted upon-a yielding leaf spring member 20 which is secured upon a drum 21 so that when the drum 21 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the

spring 20 will be wound thereupon and thus cause the pins 19 to move in the slots 18 toward the end of the housing 10 and thus project the forms 13 out beyond the knife edge 14, where they may be grasped by the operator and then be withdrawn.

Located adjacent the slots 18, the top of the housing 10 is provided with downwardly projecting bosses 22 which are adapted to be engaged by a transversely extending member 23 secured under the pins 19. With this arrangement, it will be seen that when the pins 19 have been drawn over by the spring 20 to a point near the end of its travel, they will be pulled down out of engagement with the forms, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. After the forms 13 have been withdrawn to a point sufficiently far to move the perforations therein out of alignment with the pins 19, the drum 21 can then be released. The pins 19 will then slide along the underside of the forms 13 and assume their initial position. When in this position, a stop 24 provided upon the drums 21 will engage the end of the housing 10 and thus retain the pins 19 where they will immediately snap up into the next succeeding perforations in the form when they arrive at this point. This will prevent the operator from pulling the forms any further and he may then tear the forms off over the knife edge 14, thus leaving the next subsequent sales slip in position for another entry.

By referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the drum 21 is provided with a knob or handle 25, by means of which it may be conveniently rotated, as when advancing the forms. In this figure of the drawings, it will also be seen that the rear side of the housing is cut away, as at the point 26, so that the forms may be conveniently grasped from beneath by the thumb and forefinger of the operator. In this figure of the drawings, it will be seen that the downwardly projecting bosses 22 are provided on each side of the pins 19.

In Fig. 5 the leaf springs 20 are shown as composed of two leaves. It will be understood that these supports may be of either a single leaf or a number of leaves. depending upon the stiffness required. This view also shows the supports 20 as secured to the drums 21 bv means of screws 27 This figure of the drawings also shows the members 23 as beveled downwardly so as to provide a sliding engagement with the downwardly projecting bosses 22.

Fig. 6 very clearly illustrates the mode of securing the carbon papers 16 under the downwardly pro'ecting portions 15 of the cover 11. Thls figure of the drawings also shows overhanging guides 28 which serve to center the forms and align their perforations with the pins 19. It will also be noted that at the point where the pins 19 project through the forms, the cover 11 is provided with raised portions 29 which permit the ins 19 to project above the surface of the forms, and thus insure their engagement with all of the forms.

The operation of my improved device may be summarized as follows: After the housing 10 has been loaded with a suitable supply of manifolded forms, these forms being either folded or upon rollers, they are then projected along the top surface of the housing 10 so that perforations provided therein will be engaged by the pins 19, it being understood that the carbon papers 16 have been previously positioned between the forms. After the operator has madethe record upon the form, he may, by turning the knob 25 or other suitable handle, rotate the drum 21 and thus cause the pins 19 to move to the right. This will advance the forms to a position Where they can be conveniently grasped by the thumb and forefinger of the operator. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is anticipated that movement of the forms will be approximately one-half inch. As soon as the operator has grasped the forms, he will pull them out a slight distance and he can then release the knob 25. Under these condi ions, the springs 20 will, because of their resiliency, unwrap themselves from the drum 21 and thus cause it to rotate in the reverse direction, the pins 19 then returning to their initial or starting position. As there will be no perforations at this point in the forms, the pins 19 will remain depressed because of the yielding nature of the supports 20. As soon as the forms have been withdrawn sufficiently far to remove a complete form out of the conductor, the perforations in the next subsequent form will come adjacent the ends of the pins 19 and the latter will at once enter these perforations and preventa further movement of the forms. The operator may then tear ofl the forms which he has withdrawn and the device will be ready for a repetition of the above operation.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves, in view of this broad disclosure, to persons skilled in the art. 'It is believed that this invention is broadly new and it is desired to claim it as such so that all such changes as come within the scope ofthe appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a manifolding device, the combination of a housing adapted to contain a supply of manifolded forms having a writing surface along the top over which said forms may be drawn and having a form advancing means at one end of said housing comprising, a pair of spaced members adapted to engage the forms at one end, a drum adapted to be rotated disposed below said writing surface, and a supportfor said spaced members adapted to be wound about said drum and thereby cause said members to advance said forms over said writing surface a predetermined distance when said drum is rotated.

2. In a manifolding device, the combination of a housing adapted to contain a supply of manifolded forms having a writing surface along the top over which said forms may be drawn and having a paper advancing means at one end of said housing comprising, a pair of spaced members adapted to project through said writing surface and engage the forms 'at one end, a drum adapted to be rotated disposed below said writing surface, and a yielding support for said spaced members adapted to be wound about said drum and thereby cause said members to advance said forms over said Writing surface a predetermined distance, said yielding support being also adapted when said drum is released to return said form advancing members to their initial position.

3. In a manifolding device, a paper supporting frame having a paper advancing mechanism comprising an upwardly projecting member adapted to project through the supporting frame and engage the paper upon said supporting frame, a yielding support for said upwardly projecting member, and a drum adapted when turned to move said upwardly projecting member a predetermined distance by wrapping said yielding support thereabout, whereby said paper will be advanced apredetermined distance upon said supporting frame when said drum is rotated.

4. In a manifolding device, a paper supporting frame having a paper advancing mechanism comprising an upwardly projecting member adapted to engage the paper slot at one end thereof, a drum beneath saidsupport adjacent said slot, a member adapted to project through said slot and engage a perforation in said paper, and a yielding support for said member adapted to be wound upon said drum as the latter is turned, whereby said member will advance said aper over said support a predetermined istance when said drum is rotated.

6. A support for a plurality of superimposed perforated strips of paper having a slot at one end thereof, a drum beneath said support adjacent said slot, a member adapted to project through said slot and engage the perforations in said paper, and a leaf spring support for said member adapted to be wound upon said drum as the latter is turned, whereby said member will advance said paper over said support a predetermined distance when said drum is rotated, said leaf spring support being adapted to urge said member in the perforations as they become adjacent thereto.

7. A support for a plurality of superimposed perforated strips of paper having a slot at one end thereof, a drum beneath said support adjacent said slot, a member adapted to project through said slot and engage the perforations in said paper, a yielding support for said member adapted to be wound upon said drum as the latter is turned, whereby said member will advance said paper over said support a predetermined distance when said drum is rotated, and means adapted to withdraw said member out of engagement with said paper after it has operated to advance the paper whereby the paper may be freely drawn from said support.

CHARLES H. JAMES.

upon said supporting frame, a leaf spring support for said upwardly projecting member, and a drum adapted when turned to move said upwardly projecting member a predetermined distance by wrapping said leaf spring support thereabout, whereby said paper will be advanced a predetermined dis tance upon said supporting frame when said drum is rotated.

5. A support for a plurality of superimposed perforated strips of paper having a 

